In an Indian domestic tournament, where you typically see only Indian faces taking to the 22 yards, did you know, there is a legendary foreign name who has played in the Duleep Trophy? You might be surprised to know that it was England great Kevin Pietersen. That’s right – the right-handed batter traveled with the England A team to play in zonal first-class cricket. But here’s a twist that might surprise you.
When did Kevin Pietersen play in Duleep Trophy?
It was in 2004 when a young Kevin Pietersen traveled with the England A team. Not only Pietersen, but also many future English cricketers such as Matt Prior, Simon Jones, and James Tredwell were part of the tour. At that point, Pietersen was still an uncapped player who played for Nottinghamshire. This was the first time in Duleep Trophy history that a foreign guest team had been included.
How many runs did Kevin Pietersen score in Duleep Trophy?
Pietersen, who was 23 at the time, played both of the England A games in the tournament. Not only did he play, but he also topped the run charts, scoring 345 runs at an average of 87. This total included two centuries and a fifty in all four innings. Although England A did not have a good outing, this superstar made a massive impact. He first took on the South Zone in Gurgaon, where his twin hundreds caused a shock in the South Zone camp. In the first innings, he scored 104 runs, and in the second innings, he posted 115 runs.
Despite his efforts, England A lost the game, thanks to Venugopal Rao’s 228, which helped South Zone chase down 501 runs in the fourth innings.
But it’s fair to say that this tour changed a lot for Pietersen’s cricket career. Just one year later, he joined the England team and made his debut in the 2005 Ashes series, where he scored 473 runs and became the leading run-scorer.
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